Butler County, Alabama: hazard risk
FEMA rates Butler County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 45.2 of 100, higher than 45% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by lightning. Its storm record holds 236 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | 84.5 | $596K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 85.9 | $2.8M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 72.4 | $684K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 67.2 | $1.5M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 56.1 | $324K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 37.1 | $33K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 37.0 | $382K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 36.1 | $2.8M |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 52.7 | $208K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 42.5 | $522 |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 31.1 | $10K |
| Hail | Very Low | 16.9 | $39K |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 11.1 | $4K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 6.7 | $3K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 129 | 1 | $2.0M | 55th of 67 | 2058th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 41 | 0 | $20K | 63rd of 67 | 2575th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 29 | 2 | $8.7M | 57th of 67 | 1498th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 16 | 0 | $2.2M | 57th of 67 | 2408th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 7 | 1 | – | 60th of 67 | 2921st of 3,077 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 5 | 0 | $2.0M | 44th of 67 | 633rd of 1,849 |
| Lightning | 4 | 1 | $13K | 49th of 67 | 1719th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 2 | 0 | – | 59th of 67 | 2357th of 3,063 |
| Heat | 2 | 0 | – | 61st of 67 | 2128th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 0 | $88K | 50th of 67 | 2143rd of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Butler County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.